Sheriff: Swimming Precautions Can Ensure a Safe Summer

Swimming in pools and at the beach are regular activities during the summertime, but if proper precautions are not taken, it can be dangerous, a news release from the Sheriff’s Office said.

“The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring safety throughout the summer season,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “That’s why we are urging parents and guardians to review the following safety tips in an effort to make this summer enjoyable and most importantly, safe.”

Summer safety tips, as provided by the Sheriff’s Office:

• Teach your children how to dial 9-1-1 in case of emergencies. Children should be prepared to give their full name and explain what happened.
• Never leave children unattended. Always provide adult supervision for your children in or around a body of water, including swimming pools, lakes and beaches. Children can drown in as little as two inches of water.
• Teach children to always swim with a partner
• Air filled flotation devices do not replace adult supervision for children in the water. Flotation devices can give parents and children a false sense of security.
• Learn CPR at a certified program in your area.
• Always check the water depth before allowing children to enter the water.
• Learn to swim. Enroll yourself and or your children (age appropriate) in swimming classes.
• Always remember if you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore. Once you are out of the current swim toward the shore.
• Always watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip current water that is discolored, unusually choppy, foamy or filled with debris.
• Always remember that currents are often unpredictable -they can move rapidly and quickly change direction. A strong water current can carry expert swimmers far from shore.